Hardcore is not dying. While the scene has become infused, nay oversaturated, with bands who care more about the fashion aspects of the music than doing anything truly passionate, this has always been an issue. Remember that it was only a few years ago that every band in the â??core wore those basketball jerseys and sang about how "real" they were. This current state of fashion focus is just a phase, and much like From First to Last and It Dies Today, will be something we all laugh about in two years.

Until then we have Modern Life Is War. These fine young lads from Iowa bring with them a sound much like Give Up the Ghost, only mixed with splashes of 80's hardcore Ã¡ la Black Flag while also finding time for an Isis-like wall of sound.

Unlike most hardcore bands today, these chaps do not spend their whole album whining about the girl who broke their heart and how they are going to kill her. The band does not shy away from political lyrics, examining the problems inherent in our society and culture. In spite of these observations and the negative tone it suggests, MLIW always look through rose-colored glasses, trying to find hope in otherwise hopeless situations. They also understand the importance of knowing your roots and where you came from, while not going as far as say Biohazard and screaming "New York Bitch!" in every song. If there is one lyric that personifies the spirit of this record it would be this line from the song "1st & Ellen:"

I know, I thought I was strong. I said I would never change...but that burning house left me an empty frame...and no longer can I decay...no longer can I keep my heart locked away. Have you ever felt like you are wasting your whole life searching for something you can't find? There's been so much talk of so many slashed up wrists...but we're much too young to be dwelling on thoughts like this. So scrape your heart up from the bottom of the bottom of the barrel. Keep your faith in the path that's growing narrow. Kill the doubt inside your head. We overcome. We push ahead.

The most striking thing about this record for me was that even though the vocals are of the screamed/shouting variety, you can understand the freaking lyrics. It doesn't just sound like Cookie Monster over mosh parts; there is an actual song and words that fit the tunes. Everything about this release is top notch, even the booklet designed like an old-fashioned journal, complete with old passport stamps and photos. They even picked a font type for the lyrics, bucking the current trend of microscopic cursive fonts that make it impossible to prove how crappy the lyrics to most of these albums are.

I picked up this album because it was at my used CD store for five bucks and I wanted to get something heavy that day. In the three months since then, this album has found its way into my stereo more and more, growing on me with each spin. Give it a chance kids, or better yet buy a copy for the cousin / little sister / little brother who believes the first Taking Back Sunday album is the most hardcore release of the last five years.

i have had this cd for about 2 years now, and i never get bord of it. The best cd i have, the best cd i will ever have, no one can match it.

Anonymous (June 28, 2005)

no , you fucking tool....mliw does not have the same singer as rise against....so fucking worthless....

Anonymous (June 21, 2005)

does anyone know if this singer is the guy from rise against?????? they sound an aweful lot alike. not that it would be anything bad if he was rise against is awesome. hopefully someone out there can answer this for me.

Anonymous (May 14, 2005)

awesome album. I love this band.

Anonymous (April 22, 2005)

i can't get over how fucking awesome this band is. One of my favourite hardcore releases ever

Anonymous (February 9, 2005)

If anyone says that Modern Life Is War has not played southern california, you dumbasses were not at Che Fest. They played, and played an awesome fucking show at that. And The cd, My love, My way, is freakin awesome.

Anonymous (January 11, 2005)

They do play in iowa. Marshalltown and Cedar falls have seen them numerous times. They played DSM once and the show sucked....BIG SURPRISE! Would you return to a town that provided you with a crappy show? hell no.

it's sort of lame that they won't play iowa, but at the same time, if i were from iowa, i'd want to spend as much time not in the state as humanly possible.

it also probably has to do with being a band that is teetering the grey area between small time iowan band and nationally recognized band. they probably want to be taken seriously when booking nationally and don't want to oversaturate their home state and look like some local kids who can't get a show anywhere else. they still could play there every now and again, thought, but i guess it then comes back to it being iowa...

Anonymous (January 8, 2005)

its lame they havent played des moines cuz theyre from iowa. in fact, they never play iowa. ive heard they "refuse" to... ive worked with 3 of these kids in some capatcity in other bands and they were all rad dudes, but c'mon, refusing to play in your home state? laaame

Anonymous (January 8, 2005)

Honostly, this album is worth a ten. It's one of the few albums out right now that actually does deserve it. With shit like Fear Before the March of Flams running around right now it's great to see a band like this getting some recognition. I was lucky enough to see them play with Bane and Kill Your Idols at CBGB's last January and was blown away. Top three live sets I have ever seen...

hey elliot did you ever think that the reviewer might actually like this? who are you to say who's jumping on a bandwagon? and just because a small band on a small label doesn't come through your shithole town doesn't mean they're 'lame'. fucking piece of shit.

yeah, i'm from des moines, and i think these guys have come here once in their entire existence. not to say that des moines is the mecca of all music, but i just think it's lame.

this album is definitely not worth a ten. come on. just because everyone in the world gets hyped up about something doesn't mean you have to jump on the bandwagon too.

Anonymous (January 8, 2005)

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